Son of the Sea
by Felicionem
Summary: Finnick and Annie's son Dylan's life is far from perfect. He's famous because of something he had nothing to do with and he hates it. How can he be his Dad if he never knew him? When things go horribly wrong, can he follow in his Father's footsteps? This story is about his life.
1. The Ghosts

**Son of the Sea**

**The Ghost**

There are many ghost that follow you around. Ghost of your past, who you left because of who you were.

People who are no longer with you but you wish you could keep them here in the present, with you.

And the future ghosts, of who you are scared to become.

I have all three. They hang over me, pulling me down with them. Their faces are the ones that haunt my dreams. They scare me so much, but no one could ever stop them. For what they have done can't be changed, only moved past and hope that time will never replay and repeat again, if this happens then those ghosts will become real.

They are people I have never met in my life, but have ruined it forever.

Some people think I can't be scared of what I never saw, never lived but I hear the stories, I know how they all had to leave me. That's why I keep the present ghosts close to me, because I never had them but want them. And the future ghost I wish they would disappear because they are coming too soon, I'm starting to see them when I look in the mirror now. They will soon be the present.

For that, I hope never happens.

Because of course, although the past has been lived and can't be changed, the future can.

And I will change it.

Even the ghosts can't stop me.

Real or not real?


	2. The Start

**Son of the Sea**

**The start**

Her loud terrified screams fill my ears and wake me from my disturbed slumber. Through my window, I can see that it's the middle of the night, the moon reflecting from behind the glistening sea. Her room is next to mine and I run to her.

"Mum." I shake her dreams away, "Mum!"

Her green eyes open with fear as she claws at her sheets and pillows.

"It's okay Mum, you're safe. It's just a dream. I'm your son. You're safe in four. It's just a dream."

Of course it wasn't a dream, not the fears she has, of the Games and the war, most of it is memories that keep coming to life while she sleeps, but the doctor told me what to do and how to handle it. Repeat simple phrases, tell her who I am and where she is, tell her that she's no longer in the mouth of danger. Tell her who she is.

She's Annie Cresta.

She's my Mother.

She's a Victor.

She's a rebel.

She's the only real family I have.

Her eyes recognise me because she stops squirming and calms down, enough to sit up slowly, gripping onto the bed for support and then pulls me in for a tight hug. She's rarely this bad, but it happens often enough for me to know what to do and say to make her remember. That's the worse part.

The mood swings, nightmares and screaming I can cope with, but when she doesn't remember her own son it hurts. I hate the Capitol for what they did to her and my Dad.

My Mum says I look just like him, same bronzed hair, same sea coloured eyes, same golden glowing skin. She calls me by his name all the time.

He's Finnick Odair.

He's a Victor.

He's a hero.

He's a rebel.

He's dead and gone.

Dad went to the Capitol to defeat President Coin, they went underground, where Mutts followed them all. My Father was lost to them and then a bomb was triggered to kill them so they never brought back a body.

I've heard so much about him, from my Mother, from random strangers who congratulate my Mother for being brave and say sorry for our loss. When they tell us about how grateful they are, how brave and what a hero my Dad was, it's when my Mother is happiest I think. She's always happy to talk about Dad, he isn't a secret. She tells me stories about him all the time.

He is a hero and I'm proud to be his son, but for sixteen years I've been without a Dad and I hate the Capitol for taking him from me and my Mum so much.

Mum settles back to sleep but I don't go back to bed. I don't sleep much normally, Mum wakes me up most nights with her nightmares and screams. She tells me to wear earplugs to block out the noise but I can't leave her to suffer on her own.

I go into our living room. It's filled with pictures of me as a child, my Dad and our friends. My Mum saved all the letters that Dad or her friends wrote to her and stuck them all up all over the walls so we can read them. I know most of them of by heart now. We still live in the Victor's village, though it's not called that any more. There are no Victors left, only seven of them left from the 75 Games. Most of them were murdered during the rebellion.

I know all about the Games, we learn about them at school but Mum used to tell me all about them. She still tells me what happened in some of them, the people she had to mentor, the Games she watched. She tells me about the rebellion and the other rebels who gave us freedom.

My Dad's picture is on the wall at school, Mum's is next to him. Along with other Victors and rebels.

Our house isn't huge but it's still one of the biggest houses in Four. After the rebellion most houses and districts had to be rebuilt so the houses were small but built quickly. I've gone to all the other districts, even One and Two are smaller now, I've seen pictures of what they were like before. We see them every year on the Victor's tour.

There's still one once a year but it's for leaders and rebels in the war. Mum is asked to go on it every year, it's a chance for people to thank the rebels. It's a celebration of our freedom and independence. To remind everyone what we fought for.

There's food and party games and stories, everyone sings or dances through the nights, everyone has fun!

Those are the best moments where I wish Dad was here, to see what he fought and died for and who. He never got the chance to see what people he saved and how happy we all are. He never even got to see if we won or not.

I go into the kitchen to get some breakfast when I here the phone ring. I answer it quickly so it doesn't wake Mum.

"Hello?" I say clearly.

"Hello? Dylan?" the female voice asks.

"Speaking."

She lets out a gasp or cry of pain that crackles through the phone.

"It's time." she gasps, sounding worried and then hangs up the phone.

"Mum!" I yell, "Mum!"

She come running down the stairs asking me what's wrong.

"It's time." I tell her, repeating her works.

And we both know what to do.

**Hey! Sorry, I know it's a confusing chapter, but it will be explained! This is just sort of an introduction to my story, I don't think it's going to be very long. But it takes place 16 years after the rebellion. I named him Dylan because it means son of the sea, a perfect name for a District Four baby in my opinion! Tell me what you think! :D **

**Note: I don't own the Hunger Games or any of the characters. (Unfortunately) All rights belong to Suzanne Collins! **

**:D**


	3. The Journey

**Son of the Sea**

**The journey**

I'm ready before Mum is, shoving random clothes in a bag. A shoe. A top. Socks. Anything. I just need to be quick. I put on my boots and try to hurry Mum up, her dark hair is stuck up to one side where she was sleeping still as she get things ready.

She locks up our house as we hurry to the train station, running half the way. A train is getting ready to leave and we get on it. Most of the seat are empty this early in the morning. Our journey will only take eighteen hours.

Mum is shaking hard, jumping up and down on her seat while she struggles to hold back tears. We talk for a while but I'm so tired that within a few hours the train rocks me to sleep.

It's day time when I finally wake up, Mum is asleep. An open book resting in her lap, head rolled back and her mouth open slightly. So peaceful now.

That's when I notice a slip of paper hanging out from her book, I pull it out fully to look at it properly.

It's a picture of Mum and Dad together. There aren't many of those because Dad wasn't allowed to be in love with Mum at all, Snow didn't want him to be. He's hugging her from behind, his strong hands wrapped around her to keep her close.

Arms he should have picked me up with to hold me as a baby, arms that should have taught me to fish, arms that should be here to hug my Mum and me still. His arms.

I do look just like him, my eyes are the exact same colour as his but my hair is just a slight shade darker. He looks so happy here, it obvious they are in love. Mum looks younger but still the same, a playful smile on her lips and pink flushed cheeks.

At least I've got Mum, she's all I need.

Mum must have always had this photo, kept it with her to make it special. The sea is in the background and they look so perfect together, like a well fitted puzzle. Like a couple.

And we should be a family. There are no pictures of me and Dad, he never got to hold me or see me at all. He never even knew I existed because Mum never got a chance to tell him. He would have stayed if he knew Mum was pregnant with me but it was too late. By the time Mum knew he was already gone. He never knew he had a son.

Mum tells me he would be so proud of me and who I've become. Apparently I have my Father's looks, his slight arrogance, his live for life and my Mother's nature, her guidance and her caring side.

I'd like to hear the words come out from my Dad's mouth though, I wish he could say them to me.

When we come to a stop, I wake Mum up and she rushes me out of the train. We know our way so well to the house, a journey we've made so many times. We both move much faster than usual, almost running with our bags.

We knock on the door but don't wait for it to open. We never do. If they're not home it would be locked. The familiar scent hits me as we walk through the door and go upstairs.

"Hello?" I call out, hopping up the stairs two at a time with Mum following behind me.

I go into the bedroom with the door wide open and see the white sheets covered in dark red patches of blood. My eyes move up to the people on the bed. The woman with dark hair and grey eyes and the man with blonde hair and blue eyes.

And the beautiful baby between them.

**A very short chapter! The next one will be longer, let me know if you like it or not! **

**Note: I don't own the Hunger Games or any of the characters. (Unfortunately) All rights belong to Suzanne Collins! **

**:D**


	4. The Baby

**Son of the Sea**

**The Baby**

"Annie! Dylan! You came!" says Peeta happily, leaving Katniss to come over and greet us. He hugs me and as always smells like freshly baked bread because he's a baker, it's a pleasant small that familiar and warm. He looks tired but happy and kisses my Mother on the cheek and smiles sweetly at us.

Peeta is nice to us all the time but he's so happy right now. I look over Katniss, holding her baby in her arms. She looks even more exhausted than Peeta but just as happy, stroking the baby's tuffy dark hair out it's pink face. She comes out of her Mother bubble to smile at me, so peacefully.

"Hi Dylan." she greets me and I walk over to her. Katniss hold out the baby slightly for me to get a good look at her.

It's a beautiful girl, like Peeta and Katniss thought it would be, wrapped in a snowy white blanket with her Dad's soft blue eyes hair and her Mum's dark seam hair. A button nose. Chubby pink cheeks. A mouth so tiny that when it opens and lets out a startling cry it shocked me that a baby that small can make a sound that big. Very noisy.

Peeta leave talking to Mum to see what is wrong, neither adult seems alarmed by the wails of the girl, in fact, if anything, they look happier.

"She's going to be a fighter, just like her Mother." whispers Peeta, rubbing Katniss' arm gently. She rocks her baby whilst making shushing noises. Eventually, when she stops crying, her blue eyes fall on to me. Both parents grin at me.

"Look," says Katniss, "She knows who her Godfather is."

Me? I'm the Godfather?

I must have look horrified because Peeta adds, "If you want to be."

Slowly, not taking my eyes off the baby, I nod yes. I'd love to be her Godfather. Her chubby pink cheeks if possible have pinked even more. She's an early baby, born at least a month too soon. Although she is small, she's strong and healthy.

"And you'll be the Godmother?" asks Peeta to Mum, who I'd almost forgotten was here, she's been so quiet. She's silently sobbing happily and stutters out a strangles yes.

The baby starts crying again.

"She's hungry." announces Katniss, sitting up in her bed.

I look at Mum awkwardly and am thankful when she suggests I run to the town to buy some food for us. I say goodbye before I witness feeding time and get too embarrassed. I leave their house, which is in the Victors village like ours because they are Victors too, heroes like Mum and Dad. Katniss was the Mockingjay, the spark of the rebellion. She was the last one to see Dad before she died, she was the one that activated the bomb that properly killed him.

She didn't murder him though, she did it out of kindness of the pain he was in and to save lives. He was dead anyway. She told me about what happened.

I love Katniss and Peeta like my own family. They are family to me. I spend my holidays here in Twelve or they come over to stay with us in Four. We see each other at least once a month and have done ever since I can remember, and before that. Katniss and Peeta are like my aunt and uncle, the closest thing I've got to them. My Mum and Dad don't have any family left, their parents were killed, along with Mum's sister and Dad's sister too.

But when my Mum and I come here it is like we're a whole family. I miss my Dad, but it's hard to miss something you never had. Now there's another member of our family to add, little baby Mellark. And I'm her Godfather! I'm going to be the best Godfather ever!

The walk into town isn't very long and I'm in no immediate rush. Town is always busy, with people trading and talking. People aren't afraid to talk in open now because they aren't scared any more.

Several people say hello to me, even here I am well known. From television, when I collected a medal of honour for my Father with Mum, from the Victory Tour or just because I come here a lot.

My friend Ben comes up to me. He's my age, with shaggy light brown hair and blue eyes like Peeta's with a cheeky crocked grin. He pats my shoulder.

"Hey Man, I didn't know you were coming down!" He chuckles at me.

"Me nether, it was a last minute thing, Katniss had her baby!"

"Congratulations to her! See you soon!" he says before walking on. Katniss is the most famous Victor because she's the face of the rebellion, the leader of the rebels. Twelve love her and Peeta and are looking forward to their baby.

There won't be a single person who won't love their baby.

Despite the war being over for sixteen years, people still worry about another war or things getting worse again. But their baby shows the end to struggles. If Victors can live their life and have a baby together against all odds then there is more hope for everyone that things are truly over and are okay and peaceful.

Victor babies are popular. I am the storm baby. The baby made in the eye of the storm. I represent people's losses and sacrifices because of my Dad. That's why I go on the Victory Tour, because of my Dad's sacrifice.

At town I only buy some beef for everyone to make rolls. Peeta's house is never out of fresh bread.

In a blindingly happy moment, I spot a pretty doll and buy it for the baby with my own money as a present.

On my way back, I spot a familiar face, with dark wild hair and olive skin. He spots me too.

"Dylan!" he calls me and walks over, greeting me with a pat on the back.

"Hi Gale, here to meet the baby?"

"Yeah, got here as soon as I could." he grins happily.

I like Gale Hawthorne, another rebel who lives in two with his wife and two kids.

"No Jo with you?" I ask, because I can't see her anywhere.

"Can't come down until tomorrow, she'll be here soon."

We walk back together, he's very excited about the baby, Gale loves kids. He has his own son and daughter. Gale visits Katniss too and us in Four when he can. His job allows him to travel around a lot.

Katniss and Gale are very old friends, been friends since Katniss was twelve and Gale was fourteen. He saved hundreds of people's lives when Twelve was bombed and fought along side Dad in the war.

He's tall compared to me and I'm told he's good looking. Got a temper but a sense of humour too.

It's hilarious watching him and his wife Jo because they tease each other so much about everything in a good humoured way. We sit in the background and try not to laugh out loud when they have their childish squabbles. They love each other really.

We reach the Victor's village, where rebels and other people live too. It's no longer exclusively for Game Victors. People moved in after their homes were destroyed in the bombings.

Children play outside more, there's a beautiful meadow that I used to love to play in when I was younger, still do. People stay out of the woods though. Except Katniss who loves to hunt in there. Gale looks longingly in the direction of the woods, though he loves it in Two, he still misses here and still calls it his home.

"Are your family coming to see the baby soon?" I ask him, his family are brilliant.

"Rory is still in thirteen and can't come back yet, Vick has got to work but will be down next week and Posy is already on her way back from her visit to Thirteen"

That's great news, Posy is so lovely. She's twenty two and helps her Mum out with her laundry business in Twelve. Rory, who I've met several times, stayed in Thirteen after the rebellion after his family moved back when Twelve was rebuilt.

Gale knocks on the door and pushes it open, he doesn't wait either. Peeta is downstairs making lunch for everyone, I hand him the meat because Katniss can't go into the woods at the moment and he is happy to see Gale.

"Hi Peeta. How are you?" Gale asks giving him a hug. Peeta and Gale are great friends too.

"Never better, and you?"

"Fantastic!"

"You got here quickly." observes Peeta cheerfully, ribbing meat for the rolls.

"Couldn't get here fast enough." Gale grins, "How's the Mother and baby?"

"Both absolutely fine. Tired mostly, we all are, Go upstairs you two, Katniss will be so pleased to see you."

Gale goes upstairs and I follow him up into the bedroom where Mum and Katniss are talking. Katniss is pleased to see him as is Mum. He kisses Katniss forehead and strokes the baby's soft cheek.

"Hey Catnip. Hey baby Catnip." he says, I never get why he calls her Catnip, when ever I ask them they both just laugh.

Peeta comes up the stair, carrying a tray of hot tea and beef rolls that smell delicious.

"Did you tell them the name?" Peeta asks Katniss and she shakes her head.

"Everyone, say hello to Meadow Rue Primrose Mellark."

**Bad or good name? I looked up so many name meanings; hope, peace, fire but none seemed right. Meadow sounds odd but I like it as a name! :) Next chapter is a flashback of Gale's life, to explain why he's in my story, most of the time Gale isn't, so I though I'd be different! **

**Note: I don't own the Hunger Games or any of the characters, (Unfortunately). All rights belong to Suzanne Collins! **

**:D **


	5. The Past

**The Past**

**Haha, funny! This chapter started as an end note on chapter 4 about Gale/Katniss but it turned into 6 pages so I have to make it it's own chapter! **

**I know that there are so many stories that make Gale a horrible person. I've never read a fafic where Katniss chooses Peeta and Gale is still a nice person. So in mine he is! **

_**What happened:** Gale left to 2 to help there after the war, he felt bad about what happened there. When he got there, his 'high up' job was restoring and helping people's lives after their rebellion. He was on T.V to tell people about things in two. After Two got back to a more normal standard, he did get a high up job helping to run things. He telephone Greasy Sae all the time, it was him who suggested that Katniss try to hunt because he knew that it would help her to be out and about. _

_Greasy Sae told him that Peeta got back and Gale phoned him too because although he was happy Peeta was back to his more sane self he was still perfectly capable of hurting Katniss, physically and emotionally. Gale asked him about his intentions and Peeta explained that he still loved Katniss same as before. He also explain how he wasn't going to go near he if she wasn't happy with it and if her ever felt an episode coming on he would move to another district if he ever hurt her at all. _

_Gale, knowing he wanted Katniss would move on with Peeta easier if he stayed away from her he didn't call or see her. Every now and again he phoned Greasy Sae to check up on Peeta and Katniss. After two years, Greasy Sae informed him that they were back together and happy. It was the best news Gale had heard because it meant that Katniss was healing. He was genuinely happy for them both. But it still hurt, so the phone calls become less frequent. _

_But Gale knew that he still loved Katniss, even just in a caring way and she had always been there for him. He was disheartened that he was no longer part of her life any more, they had been each other's rock when they had lost their Fathers. Gale had his family but they were in Thirteen. He missed Katniss with all his heart and needed to know if she wanted to see him. _

_But Gale also didn't want to be selfish so he left it for as long as possible, just under another year. He called Greasy Sae same as always and heard good news, Katniss had stopped screaming most nights with Peeta, Katniss had managed to learn to bake bread, Katniss and Peeta could watch fire together without her crying for Cinna, who was confirmed dead. They had burnt the body. Katniss visited her Mother in Four and met Annie and Finnick's son, Dylan. _

_That was hard for Gale to hear, about Annie and Finnick's son. He didn't know they had had a son. Gale had admired Finnick, looked up to him in the way he was a good and proud soldier. Gale often wished he had died instead of Finnick in those tunnels because he knew Finnick had a mad wife who had lost everything else. To hear Finnick had had a son made him wish he was the one to die more. _

_Gale had a decision to go to Four, visit Annie. He liked Annie too, though hadn't spoken to her much, she seemed perfectly happy in her own little world. For Gale, it was a way to pay his respects to Finnick, he could at least make sure his son and wife were healthy and happy. So Gale went to Four, making sure that Katniss would not be there first. _

_When he got there, he was surprised to see how welcoming Annie was. She let him in with open arms and was lovely too him. She was certainly much better, no longer in her world so much. Still day dreamy but he son's cries would wake her out of it. The kid already looked like his Father, he would be a happy child. Gale was pleased to see how well Annie was doing with Finnick's death and giving birth. _

"_I'm happy Finn died for something he wanted so badly. He died for his son although he never realised it. He didn't give up, he fought for what he loved." _

_Gale left a few days later, with hugs and a promise of more visits. He went to see Mrs Everdeen, working in Four's hospital so well. She was happy too and told Gale he was please see him after all this time. Gale loved Mrs Everdeen like his won Mother and couldn't believe he hadn't come earlier. _

_She didn't blame him for Prim's death, she had told him so before she came to Four. So why had he not come to see her? Gale knew he couldn't have stopped Prim's death, if Coin wanted her dead she was dead but he still felt responsible. Every moment that Katniss had been in that prison while her trial was going on he had mourn the loss of Prim, his little sister. He loved her as much as he did his own sister. He would never hurt her. Yet he had created the weapon that lit her on fire. _

_That bomb wasn't meant to hurt their own people, it was meant to stop the other side from killing them. All he wanted was to win the war, to have a part in bringing peace. But Katniss was right about how he'd become a part of Coin's army. He was so busy trying to impress Coin he had lost sight of what was most important to him. All those years of ranting in the forest had filled him with so much anger and hatred that he hadn't realised the monster he had become. _

_He wanted to change, he really did but he couldn't just go back to himself before the war. No, he wanted to become a better person in the future. Firstly, he knew he was better now, it just hit him suddenly. Maybe the war had changed him for the better. He had nothing to get angry about now, no one to hate as much. Gale still felt hate but he had defeated his enemy. Gotten ridden of the things that brought him down. _

_Annie's words of fighting for what he loved was right, Finnick had fought for what he'd loved, he'd loved his wife and now she did have a better life. _

_From Four, Gale hopped on a train to Twelve. He sat and thought and thought and thought about everything. How much he loved Katniss. He was better now, he was now the kind of person that she deserved. Less selfish, more calm and happier. _

_Katniss might still blame her for Prim's death but he doubted it. She had realised it was Coin using people as puppets for her own evil show, the only problem was that she was underneath and they could see her before. Gale still blamed himself for Prim's death, he could never forgive himself for what happened. He often had dreams about Prim, or were they nightmares? Mostly, he just replayed memories of her in his head, the day of the reaping, bringer her that goat for her Birthday, hugging her while they watched Katniss in the Hunger Games, both times. He woke up feeling numb or he would curl up in a ball and let tears fall for Prim. _

_When he arrived at the station he saw how three years Twelve had changed from the burning fire ball that he had last seen it as. The streets were shined and no longer covered in coal dust, things were once again green and blossoming and the air was fresh. It seemed like the wood's air in town. People were busy, building or trading. People were free to talk in the streets now, no more Peacekeepers. _

_The thoughts of the day he was whipped came flooding back into Gale's mind again, wishing he would die so they pain was stop, remembering waking up slightly to see Katniss' face covered in blood only for a second, she had taken a whipping for him. Despite what she never said, Gale knew that in one way or another, Katniss really had loved him. Even if she didn't know herself. _

_Gale wondered what might have happened if Peeta had never loved her. They might have gotten married, Katniss and himself, had children. If Katniss had loved him, she might have changed her mind about wanting children. Gale would have sacrificed not having children just to be with her. Katniss was special, Katniss had even the stormiest days seem better, things seem brighter when you have someone to be alone with. Gale knew he loved her. _

_He carried on walking though the streets, past the crowds that no longer recognised him. They weren't looking out for him, he caught sight of his reflection in a shop window. Still tall but scared, his face was ever so slighter pink since he was burnt. He had scars all over his body and mind. Longer hair, better dressed now. He walked with less pride but that was okay, he needed to be knocked down slightly any way, he was far too big for his shoes before. _

_He made his way to where his house used to be and paused for a few seconds to look at where he was once happy with his whole family. Life was far from perfect but it was better. Those were the days where Posy could still sit on his shoulders and giggle, Rory came to him for advise and Vick asked him for homework help. His Mother spent ages waking him up early enough to get to the mines on time, shaking his in his bed until he dragged himself to work, munching crap toast for breakfast._

_But he'd trade anything to go back to those times, he'd jump out of bed at the strike of the clock and race to work if he knew it would bring his old life back, the one where him and Katniss could go hunting together. Prim was always there to be the sane and rational one who thought clearly for him, she'd smile at him while he was in his bad moods to get him to smile. But that couldn't happen because of the Hunger Games, all the cruelty and pain they all felt. _

_He'd give up everything he'd ever done just to get Prim to be able to laugh for him once more. To be able to make him smile. A single tear rolled down his cheek as he thought about how everything was gone, Prim was gone because of the bomb he designed. He hated himself more than ever, and hated Coin even more than that. His fists clenched and then relaxed again when he heard the simple sound of a Mockingjay singing like he always did. It reminded him of Katniss. _

_So Gale carried on past the site of his house and into the Victor's village. Peeta's house was closest and he walked right past knowing that he wouldn't find him in there. Last he had heard, Peeta stayed at Katniss' house every night. _

_Gale was excited to see Katniss but there was someone else he had to see first, Peeta. _

_Peeta, the baker's boy who he knew liked Katniss, sold his Father squirrels and hated even though he was so nice. All that hatred was gone now. He hoped Katniss would be out hunted already, Greasy Sae told him that she did almost every day._

_Gale knocked on Katniss' old door with crossed fingers. The shocked pair of eyes that greeted him had him smile almost. _

"_Hello Gale." said the weaker voice than before the war. _

"_Hello Peeta." Gale smiled warmly at him as Peeta blinks. "How are you?" _

"_Well thanks, you?" he breathed out deeply and Gale hoped he wouldn't have an episode at the sight of him. He started to regret ever coming. _

"_Doing fine thanks. I know that this is bad but is Katniss in please?" Gale tried to be as nice as possible. _

"_Sorry, she's not." _

"_Good, I came to see you first." Gale explained to Peeta. He was much taller than him and he knew Peeta was weaker physically. But Peeta wasn't weak mentally. Peeta hesitated slightly but opened the door fully to let them in. _

_A mixture of baking bread and meat filled Gale's nose as he stepped in. In was neither pleasant or horrible, half was Peeta, half was Katniss. Gale waited to sit before Peeta told him to take a seat. Gale sat on a wooden chair near Peeta. _

"_Look, I came here to say that..." Gale struggled with words, "To start with that I'm so sorry for everything I've done to you Peeta, I had no right to be so cruel just because you loved-"_

"_Love." he corrects with a cold hint to his voice. _

"_Love Katniss. I was so incredibly selfish to be so mean to you, I should have wanted Katniss to be happy with you but I didn't. I knew she would have been happier with me. Well, at least that was what I thought at the time." Gale takes in his own deep breath, "I messed up so badly I couldn't even see that Katniss would be happy with you. You're perfect for her but I thought because she loved me I should be with her, I wanted her so much to myself. And I know now that she only ever loved me as a brother if that. She loves you so much."_

_Peeta looked very confused. _

"_I know you are together, I've been calling Greasy Sae for the last three years to check up on her. Every week because I needed to know she was happy Peeta, and I know how happy you make her. But for three years I've not been able to see Katniss and I miss her. I feel that I should at least try." _

"_Try what?" asks Peeta, sounding a little annoyed, "To be with her?"_

"_No, never. Like I said, you make her happy. She'll never love me in that way and I don't want her too. Annie told me to fight for who I love and I love Katniss still, but in the same way she loved me, as family. I lost so much in the war, like everyone did, but I realise that I gave up Katniss, I never tried to stay in touch. All this time..." Gale stopped talking for a second. _

"_I'm not saying she'll want to see me, for what I did to Prim was unforgivable. I never meant, if I had known for a second what those bombs would do I wouldn't have...Prim was my sister too. I never wanted for her to get hurt." Real tears form in Gale's eyes but he blinks them back, not wanting Peeta to see them. "She was the one of the first ones, when the bombs hit Twelve that I thought of saving. I ran to her, only after my family. She was my family and I loved her like I do Posy. She should never have been there, I shouldn't have fought in that war, I never thought of the consequences of the things I did. To kill the very people who were trying to help the wounded...that wad below human. I was a sick and twisted monster, driven recklessly by hate. I'm so so sorry." _

_Peeta stared at him for a while, taking in his hurt and tears. He thought of how much he was hurting and had found comfort in Katniss. But Gale's family were far away, he had no one in Two with him/ How long he must have hated himself for Prim's death. Peeta trusted Gale enough to know that he never meant to kill Prim, it may have been his bomb but not his idea. Peeta waited for Gale to speak again. _

"_If you want me to leave, I'll leave right now and never come back ever again, I'll leave you and Katniss alone. I heard you might be getting engaged?" Peeta genuinely smiles and nods. "That's so great, I truly am so happy for you both. Katniss deserves happiness as do you. But if you'd let me, I'd like a chance to speak with Katniss, you can be here to. Or I could write a letter if you'd prefer and you could give it to her for me? I didn't think about coming down but I was at the train station if Four and it just seemed like a good idea at the time. I should go really..." Gale comes to his senses and starts to get to him feet to leave, what was he thinking, Katniss would never want to talk to him! Peeta stood up to stop him. _

"_No Gale, you're right. Katniss should get a chance to hear you out." He adds something rather unexpected, "She misses you know." _

"_What?" Gale was shocked, Katniss looked so...hollow to him last time they spoke. He remembered her screaming his name as she was being carried away, wanting him to shoot her. Another selfish act, he could have ended her suffering right then but he couldn't. Because he couldn't bare to know he killed her, because Mrs Everdeen had been through so much, and he couldn't kill another of her children. He couldn't live without her. _

"_She talks to you in her sleep, not nightmares, just dreams." Peeta smiles at him slightly. "If she wants me here with her, I'll stay but I don't mind if you want privacy. I'll go call her, she said she was only going to the meadow to check on the Primroses." _

_Gale still stood around while Peeta walked off to fetch Katniss. He tried pacing but that didn't help much, gnawing at his thumb nail, twiddling his thumbs. Nothing works to stop him from being nervous. Then he heard the unmistakable sound of Peeta's walking, one footstep slightly heavier than the other, it was a thing he noticed as a hunter. No more was he a hunted though. He hoped Katniss would come. All he needed to do if she did was think of what to say. How sorry he was to begin with. _

_The front door opened to show the girl with the seam hair and eyes. The hollow tired girl Gale had last seem, given up on herself was once again full of colour and life. Her long hair was braided back, with strands of the hair shorted in places. Her cheeks were pinked from the outdoors air, skin glowing with more weight on her once boned body. Back to old self._

_Gale was shocked but joyful. His Katniss was back, the one who was a fighter. Still is. _

_Her eyebrows, that she had let grow back in like before, were knitted together as her perfect misty eyes met his. She walked towards him in two steps and hugged him tightly around his neck. _

"_Good to see you Gale." she muttered into his chest. _

"_You too Catnip." he said back. _

_They talked most of the night, Katniss and Gale. Katniss repeatedly told him that it wasn't his fault about Prim, she was just so confused and angry at the time. Gale was careful not to touch n anything too much, such as their relationship until the end of their talk. _

"_Do you think that we could stay in touch?" He asked and she smiled at him. _

"_Are you asking if we can be friends?" When Gale nodded she replied, "Of course, good hunting partners are hard to find." _

_Gale knew that he didn't want to pressure Katniss or Peeta so he left the next day after saying goodbye. They had an awful long way to go before they could be 'normal'. Nothing would ever be back to normal completely but Gale was taking Annie's advise. More than Two, more than the cause, more than any fancy job, more than anything, he loved his and Katniss' friendship. And that was what he was fighting for. _

**Okay, I don't know how many of you are strongly against Gale, to you I just want you to know, I'm not sorry. To me, I'm Peeta all the way but Gale isn't the evil enemy you make him out to be. He saved 800 people's lives! I think in the and he just loved the cause more than Katniss. That was all. It wasn't like he knew they would go to the Capitol and drop the bombs on children! Some stories are really good with their evil Gale parts because it adds drama but in mine he's nice! Just to be a bit different! **

**Rant about Gale is over, he's going to be a good guy in my story. He got together with Jo, his wife, a year after all this happened. Sorry for going off the story, next chapter we are back to Dylan and the baby! :) **

**Note: I don't own the Hunger Games or any of the characters, (Unfortunately). All rights belong to Suzanne Collins! I wonder if she wrote a fanfiction in a different name would she have to write it? Hmm...**


	6. The Girl

**Son Of the Sea**

**The Girl**

Mum, Gale and I spend the night here at Katniss and Peeta's home, there's more than enough room for all of us. Katniss is so tired she had to strain to keep her eyes open but she wouldn't let Meadow out of her sight or arms for the night so Peeta reluctantly agrees to let Katniss keep hold her while they both get some needed rest.

Jo says she'll be round early tomorrow and Posy is still at thirteen, waiting for the next train. Hazel decides to come down with Posy as to not overwhelm Katniss.

It's a nice home they have here, Katniss and Peeta didn't want to be showered in riches, though they could have been if they liked. People would do anything for the star-crossed lovers. Their love story is amazing to me, Peeta was in love with Katniss ever since he was five he told me, Katniss and him fell in love during the second Games. It's so sweet!

Katniss and Peeta when they were older were both offered a job high up in the Government because of their history. Both of them turned it down to work in Twelve's bakery that also sell Katniss' fresh meat that she hunts. It's no longer illegal any more. Peeta's cakes are great too!

Everything is so peaceful this night time, all the people in the house are sleeping, only the occasional sniff of uneven wail from Meadow wake Katniss but never for long. Even Mum is sound asleep.

I'm wide awake though, I can't shut off. I can never sleep if I try, and without the sounds of the ocean to help me I toss and turn in my covers that make me itch. It feels so odd, that everything is still for once.

I open the window and feel the breeze on my face and through my hair. It cools me down and I put on my clothes. It's a warm summers night, with a cool wind to cool me down. I creep soundlessly out of the house and at the back. I walk slowly to the meadow, the one that Katniss' daughter is named after. It's almost as beautiful and perfect she is. There are pretty flowers surround it that aren't trampled on or dying. There stand tall and proud, refusing to let themselves fall.

This isn't what I'm like in Four. I can't go around looking at flowers ever because people think that makes me soft and cowardly. A _girly_ boy. And I can't be that, my Mum and Dad are fighters. So I have to be too.

In interview I can't act like myself. I'm not shy by any means but I hate talking to strangers, I don't know their name yet they know mine. It hard to talk to people I know nothing about. Answering question like what do I think my Father would have thought of me.

The simple answer is: I don't know. Because I never got a chance to meet him.

People want to know all my likes and dislike, what relationships I'm involved in, my personal details. I'm famous and I hate it. Because it's not me who's famous for doing anything, it's Dad. And how am I suppose to be like my Dad if I don't know him at all?

I walk through the forest, Katniss made a path years and years ago. I've got no weapon but very few wild dogs are left thanks to her and her arrows. I go to the only place that I know I can be more at home. It's a place I've come to love on my visits here.

It's the lake.

It's not as big as the sea, nothing ever is but it's water I can swim in. When I get there I test the temperature. It's cold but so is the sea. I pull of my boots and socks and my trousers and shirt so I'm only wearing underwear. It dive right it, going deep underwater so the water washes over my body. I come up for air in the middle if the lake, hovering around while wiping my eyes.

I swim laps for a while, floating on my back so I can see the moon. It glows on the top of the water and I reach my hand out to touch it's refection.

_**Snap.**_

I flick my head around to see what made that sound, it came from the woods. I tilt the water out my ear but hear nothing else. It's too dark to see more than a few meters in front of my face so the woods is completely blacked out.

After a few seconds I put it down to my imagination and carry on swimming under water where it's warmer than the air whipping my skin. I touch the bank when I hear a low whistle.

"Nice swimming." calls a voice from above, very sarcastically. I look up to see a figure perched on a high up branch, I can only make out an outline of the person.

"Thanks." I reply calmly, I've had random people appear in my bedroom before, a stranger out in the open is nothing to panic out.

"Don't you get sarcasm?" she ask me tiredly.

"Sure I do, I just take it as jealously." I call in my usual cheeky voice. She laughs softly but doesn't move.

I swim to the other side, keeping my eyes on the black figure. This is different from before.

"I'm Dylan." I tell her.

Another laugh, "I'm unimpressed."

"Nice name." I mutter under my breath.

She moves down a branch. "I heard that."

"Right." I mutter again.

Another branch down. "You don't know me." she continues vaguely, that's not surprising.

"You will." she finish, reaching the bottom of the tree so I can't see her at all.

"See you soon Swimmer-Boy." she calls and I hear thuds running into the woods.

I pull myself up on the grass, baffled. What the hell just happened?

**Not a very interesting chapter but it's a start. All will become clearer! . Sorry I haven't updated in so long! I've got lots written but no time to put any chapters on or check them because of school and other stuff. I'll try to be more consistent in future! Happy reading! **

**Note: I don't own the Hunger Games or any of the characters. (Unfortunately) All rights belong to Suzanne Collins! **

**:D **


	7. The Bakery

**Son Of the Sea**

**The Bakery **

No one notices I was gone last night, not that they would have been worried, Mum is used to my midnight strolls. Meadow woke everyone up at sunrise by wailing, Katniss and Peeta both decided that she is going to be a naughty daughter who never lets them sleep.

Gale comes down to cook them both breakfast, I help him while Mum has a shower.

"Do you think it's odd seeing Peeta and Katniss having a baby?" I ask Gale, it's odd for me because they seem so peaceful. Peeta and Katniss aren't peaceful people normally, they're always busy or doing something. I've never seen Katniss spend two days in bed before. She's never sick.

"Peeta no. Katniss yes. She always said she'd never want to have children or get married. I don't know if you know this, but there was a point where I wanted to marry Katniss when we were younger."

"You did?" I'm shocked because Mum never told me. She tells me most things.

"Yeah, I was so sure I loved her and wanted to spend the rest of my life with her. But she used to sit and say how she'd never get married or have a family, and I wanted both. I didn't thing she'd ever change her mind."

"What changed?"

He sighs, "She met the right boy."

He continue to stir porridge, thinking deeply. I'm lost in thought too. Mum met the right boy, she's never dated again, never re-married to anyone. She says it wouldn't be fair, she'll never love anyone nearly as much as she did Dad, he was her true love, her soul mate. They were together, happy, fitted, perfect. No love would ever compare to what she felt for Dad.

_I wonder if she loves me as much as she did him. _

I've never been in love. Ever. I hate the Girls that follow me around, send me love notes at school. Most of them are nice enough, but they love the Dylan they see on T.V, the one who grins at the audience and wears ridiculous soldiers uniforms.

I've never dated a girl in my whole life, never. I've gone out few girls but it never lasts. People call me a user and a player but in actual fact, I just don't like those girls.

They're giggly, annoying and loud.

My Mum says Dad was just like me in that way, he hated girls that giggled and used to hang on his arm for hours. My Dad was forced to spend time with them, he was forced to sell his body.

That's something I found out last year, my Mum told me because she said I was old enough to handle it. I was shocked, revolted at first until she explain that's how Dad's parents died, Snow murdered them because he said no. Dad kept going to keep Mum safe from Snow, because he was scared that Snow would kill her.

It made me have mixed feelings for my Dad. He loved Mum but he sold his own body. It took me a while but I dealt with it. It didn't make my Dad any less of a person, he loved Mum enough to do anything to keep her safe. Plus, if Mum had no problem with it then I have no reason to.

Peeta walks down stair, rubbing his blonde hair tiredly.

"Porridge?" he mumbles, "Smells good. Thanks."

"What's wrong?" I ask him, as he sighs sadly.

"I have to open the bakery today, but I don't want to leave Katniss and Meadow."

"I'll open the bakery." I offer, "I can watch it if you want."

After some concerns, Peeta agrees to let me watch the shop. He's made enough bread to sell and I can make some more if it runs low. Peeta doubts that many people will come in today since it's a very hot day for warm bread. He's baked biscuits and some cakes too and tells me to help myself to them.

On my way to town, more people ask how the baby is doing. They all seem to want to know the sex and the name. Most of them look confused about her name Meadow but I don't have time to explain. By the time I get to the bakery to open up, I'm running late.

If Peeta smells nice than the bakery is heaven. It smells like mouth watery bread and sweet cakes. I take a deep sniff and open the windows to let some cool air in here. Peeta has got lots of bread made but so many people come in to ask about the baby that by lunch time, most of it's gone.

I go to the back kitchen and start to make some more, kneading it and sprinkling flour everywhere. My hands are covered in white flour when the bells rings to tell me I have a costumer. Shaking my hands, I walk out. Standing patiently behind the counter is someone my age, with bright red hair and a pale face. She catches my eyes and smiles.

"Oh." she remarks, "It's you."

I nod because it's not unusual for someone to recognise me from television and continue to brush of the flour from my hands, making my dark trousers speckled white. She examinations the bread and points at a plaited loaf like the plaits in her startling hair.

"Can I buy that one?" she asks uncertainly and I cover a laugh at her mistake.

"Sure." I take it out and wrap it in paper so she can carry it. She pulls out a large amount of money and tries to hand it over. I push her open hand back.

"Not that much." I tell her.

"Oh." she says thoughtfully and looks at the sign of prices before giving me the right amount.

She's got big green eyes with long lashes.

"Nice bread." she says cheerfully.

"Do I know you?" I ask confused, she sound familiar. From Twelve? No likely. Not from Four either.

"No Swimmer Boy, you don't."

And she just walks out the door, sounding the little bell as she leaves.

**Another short chapter! Here she is again! As you can properly tell, she's sort a main part in this story, and again, you'll have to keep reading to find out who she is! I should be undateinng soon because it's half term! Yay! And please review! **

**Note: I don't own the Hunger Games or any of the characters (unfortunately). All rights belong to Suzanne Collins! **

**:D**


	8. The Visit

**Son Of The Sea**

**The Visits**

"Little man!" yells Posy as I walk through the door, she gives me a huge hug before I can reply. She always calls me little man, though I haven't been little for ages. I'm as tall as her now.

"How are you?" she laughs and ruffles my hair, another habit she never stopped when I grew up.

"Good. You?"

"Amazing! She's so sweet!" That's when I notice Katniss is up and dressed and holding Meadow on the chair, smiling at Posy.

Katniss' hair is in her normal braided plait down her back, she's got most of the colour back in her cheeks. Katniss and Peeta still look young, but they're not tired looking most of the time. Peeta's arm is wrapped around her shoulders. They still act young, like love sick teenagers, they're rarely seem apart and even then it's only for a little while.

Whenever they meet after being apart, they always act like it's so much longer, like they haven't been with each other for ages, it's sweet.

No one seeing them can doubt their love.

Posy is beaming their family. She's got dark hair that's a shade lighter then everyone else's from the Seam, with the grey eyes. Her looks are normal but her personality shines out to everyone. I rarely remember a time when she wasn't grinning, showing off her dimples to everyone.

Posy is always giving people hugs, like anyone hugs. I've seen her go up to old men on the streets to give them a quick squeeze as she greets them. But since she's so adorable and lovable no one finds it strange.

Gale walks in with some tea, smiling at the family too. It's something you can't help doing, they're so happy it radiates and shines off the walls at you.

"Jealous big brother?" Posy asks Gale giggling.

"Of course I am, hunting partners are hard to find. Looks like she's replaces me now." Gale laughs with everyone. At that moment, a tall and pretty woman walks in with deep spiked hair that goes down to her shoulders. She's got a pointed chin and big brown eyes with lots of eye liner on. She grins wickedly.

"And he's got me." she smiles at Gale and he kisses her right on her mouth, arms around her back.

"Gross." Katniss remarks like a school girl as the room laughs. Jo laughs with them.

"Still trying to make her jealous Handsome? Even now you're married to me?"

Gale rests his forehead on hers as he says, "Shut up."

"Come on, I survived two Hunger Games and a war, even worse, I survived childbirth, twice, I think I can survive a little jealousy." The room laughs again, they joke about the Hunger Games more now, especially Jo, even though it's not funny. Jo, being from seven won in a few years before Katniss and Peeta, a year or so after Mum did.

Mum walks into the room, her dark hair is loose and she's wearing a white shirt far too big for her.

"I didn't pack the right clothes." she explains happily, "It's Finnick's."

Something my Dad used to wear, we don't have that many things that belong to him, I thought Mum had gotten ridden of most of them. It's a surprise.

"I didn't know you still had Dad's clothes." I say to her and she hugs it to her chest, smiling as she breaths it in.

"Your Dad loved this shirt, I couldn't throw it out." she tells me quietly.

Somehow that's better, that she didn't throw everything he owned away. I wonder about what else she might have kept that was his, except me of course.

Baby Meadow takes this time to start crying loudly, going bright pink in her tiny face. Katniss rocks her and then passes her on to Peeta to hold. Peeta looks so big compared to Meadow, but I can see the resemblance between them already.

"Photo!" cheers Posy, rummaging through a small bag to pull out a camera. She must have saved up an awful lot for that.

She places it on the shelve, set on a timer while we all crowd it. Mum is to my side and Posy, Jo and Gale to the other, Peeta, Meadow and Katniss are in the middle. We all grin as the huge flash goes off.

"Perfect!" pips Posy, picking up the camera and looking at the photo.

For me, it's a family photo.

But it's not whole. My Mother and I are missing Dad, everyone here knew Dad too, Katniss is missing her Father, who died when she was young, her little sister Prim, who died during the war and her Mother who won't return home. Peeta's missing his whole family, who all died in the Twelve bombings. Gale is missing so of his family, who are suppurated after the war and so is Posy.

The war tore families apart.

But this is all I have.

**-O-O-O-O-O-**

The Mellark house is so busy for the next few days, Posy, Gale, Hazel, Rory, Vick, Haymitch and even Katniss and Peeta 's old escort Effie come round to see the new Mellark. All bring presents are more noise to the household.

My escape is working at the bakery with Posy, baking bread for Peeta to sell. He makes bread at home to bring in and cakes and biscuits. Everyone understands that Katniss can't go out hunting for meat, and go to the butchers instead for their meat for now.

The bakery, while busy as well, is a nice place to be with Posy, who makes jokes. On her first day she made eyes and lips for all the bread out of left over bread, it gave people quite a shock to see bread staring at them. We hang out in the kitchen, making bread in funny shapes.

After a week, we have a flour fight. It starts off I spill some on Posy, but she gets me back. In a matter of minutes, our faces, clothes, hair and floor is coating in a thin layer of white dust that scatters to the floor like heavily falling snow.

My face is covered, Posy has streaks off it in her hair and we're laughing so hard we're crying. My stomach hurts and then I hear the bell go off, indicating there's is customer here. I wipe my eyes, smudging the flour in further and walk out, a grin on my face.

Standing over the counter, red hair in plaits still, wearing a bright green dress, is the girl from the other day and night.

"Hello Swimmer-Boy." she smiles at me, tilting her head slightly to one side, eyeing my white coloured face. "You look like you're from the Capitol."

"That sexy?" I lower my voice and pretend to flick my hair back. Big mistake, flour gets in my face and eyes. "More bread?"

"Actually, I wanted to buy a cake for my friend, like a cupcake or something." she explains.

"We don't have very many in, the baker hasn't made many because he's busy."

I pull out all the cakes we have and tell her there are some more in the window. It's a few minutes before she decides on a pearly pink cupcake with a heart on top. Such a girly choice.

"Cute." I say as I get a small box to keep it safe in.

She's just paying when Posy bounces in, still covered in flour. Her hands ruffle my head, showering the floor with more snow white powder.

"I'm so floury!" I observe as it falls.

"Aww." says Posy like she's talking to a child, "My special little man." She pinches my cheeks and she notices the girl watches us.

"Hello!" she bounces over and squashes her a a bear hug, making her the tiniest bit white. "I'm Dylan's friend. Find everything you needed?" she asks. The girl, considering she's only a little messier looks pretty upset.

"Dylan, I've got to dash off. I'll see you back at the house later!" Posy walks out, ringing the little bell behind her and I turn back to the girl.

"Did you bake the last bread I brought?" she asks.

"Yes."

"You bake better than you swim." She smiles widely, taking her box, "Later Swimmer-Boy."

**Yeah, so I ship Gale and Joanna Mason (if you didn't get it was her). I think they'd make a sweet couple! So he's married to her! Sorry I haven't posted in ages but I didn't have much time and no one reviewed my last chapters :( so I got kinda put off writing more.**

**Note: I don't own the Hunger Games or any of the characters (unfortunately). All rights belong to Suzanne Collins! **

**:D**


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